Recruited
by Code LJ
Summary: My  one of many  recreation on how Lady Jaye came to be a Joe!
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: This is my own interpretation, not comics/TV, on how Lady Jaye was recruited (well, okay, one of many interpretations!). As many of you know, she is usually the main character in my stories and I enjoy giving her a strong personality….please no flames! I twist the characters to fit my meandering thoughts and sometimes, they step out of their usual personas. So, bear with me and hope you enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, yada yada yada._

Chapter 1:

"Uncle Clayton!" the woman said, springing up from her chair in the coffee shop to give the approaching man a big hug.

Smiling, Clayton "Hawk" Abernathy hugged the woman back. "It's good to see you, Alison. It's been, what, five years?"

She motioned for him to sit down when he released her. A server appeared at her side, and she ordered for both of them.

He nodded, impressed. "You still remember my order, then?"

She smiled and gave a wink. "In the lifetime I've known you, I've never known you to change it," she replied glibly.

The server returned with two coffees, one cream colored for her, the other, black, for him. She settled down in her chair, sipping her cup and sighing. "I miss this. Over in my part of the world, you can't get the good stuff, although I'm sure this place will find its way over there soon enough." She glanced up at the familiar green signage. "There's one on every corner here, so they must be running out of places to put them!"

They engaged in small talk for a bit, catching up on family, friends, and their lives.

"So, are you still with intelligence?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

She gave him a pointed look. "I was wondering when you'd get around to that. From what I hear, you're heading up a team of elite professionals to battle terrorists?"

He managed not to look surprised. "I see you've done your homework, then."

She sighed. "While I did enjoy receiving your phone call, I had to wonder at its timing. Your team is still pretty fresh, isn't it?"

He nodded, sipping his coffee, giving himself some time to put his words together. He shouldn't have been surprised. She was always an intelligent girl with a sharp insight. Sometimes, he wondered if her abilities including mind-reading. It was possible, he told himself. She was multi-talented in many areas, which made her a great covert agent, a skill his team was lacking.

He had also done his homework. He knew she had recently quit MI-6, the British equivalent to the CIA. His hope was that she would join his team, but he didn't want to force his hand. There was a reason she left MI-6, and he hoped it wouldn't sour her towards his offer.

She tilted her head at him, as if trying to read his thoughts. She gave a quick laugh and set her cup down, leaning forward.

"Okay, Clayton, out with it. You want something, just ask. The worse I can say is no, right?" She wrinkled her nose at him. "I can't read minds, but I can certainly read the expression on your face."

He wasn't so sure she was telling the truth about the mind-reading.

"So, why did you quit MI-6?" He knew she liked the direct approach.

She raised her eyebrows at him. "To the point. Okay, then. Well, let's just say I was tired and needed a break."

This time it was he who raised his eyebrows. "You're a workaholic. I don't buy that."

She shrugged her shoulders, not saying anything more. Let him think what he liked. She had always liked her "Uncle" Clayton….not really her blood uncle, but he was close enough to her family that she considered him that, more so than some of her blood relatives. While she'd like to think he had looked her up because he heard she was in town, unfortunately she knew better. He had an agenda.

"Listen," he said, setting his cup down this time and leaning forward towards her. "I need a favor. Since you are….between jobs….I wondered if you would consider doing some…" he paused, searching for the right word, "…consulting work for me."

"Consulting," she murmured, sitting back. "Would this be permanent, or short term?"

"However you'd like it to be. We could start short term, and if you decide to stay on, we could make it more permanent."

"Hmmm. What exactly would this entail?"

"You're right. The team is new, wet behind the ears. We could use your help in getting them a bit more prepared for covert missions. They are all specialists in their own field, hand-picked for this team by myself and the other founder. However, we noticed a definite lack of stealth in some of our missions. While we are slowly gelling together, everyone seems to stick with their specialty and frankly, stick out like a sore thumb on some of our missions. There are some other concerns I have as well that I'll discuss with you, if you choose to help me out."

She nodded her head, thinking. Did she really want to jump into something else right away? She had hoped for some time off, but then again, she was already bored….so why not? It could be fun, depending on what Clayton wanted her to do.

"So, what do you say, Allie? Would it be something you'd be interested in?"

She glanced around the coffee shop, knowing instinctively that he wouldn't go into more detail here.

"We'll see," she said, already making up her mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

The clowning around in the conference room died down as Hawk cleared his throat. He glanced around at his assembled Joes. He had gathered them all here for a specific reason and tried not to sigh as he noticed the goofing off that was taking place. While his organization was not strict military code, wanting to give the team a more relaxed atmosphere in deference to their intense missions, he did expect some sort of order. He closed his eyes and gave a small prayer for patience.

Noticing his expression, the rest of the team settled into place, looking up at him expectantly. While they were still small enough to meet in one conference room, they often didn't meet as a whole team. _They__must__be__expecting__big__news_, he thought wryly.

He began by praising them for their last mission and once again congratulating them on their work as a team, both on the field and on base. There were a few concerns, he said, but before he could elaborate, the door opened.

Heads turned. Once the door was closed, it was a "no entry" policy. Those that violated that unwritten law had, in the past, gotten their heads bitten off by the commander.

Confusion reigned as the Joes saw another Hawk standing in the doorway, holding the doorknob. Both Hawks stared at each other. Various Joes reached for weapons on their persons, in case one Hawk betrayed the other. Others stood and shouted out.

Both Hawks raised their hands, mirroring one another as they gestured everyone to sit back down. They both stood together at the front of the room, one smiling, arms folded, the other, a dark scowl on his face.

"While I congratulate you on your ruse, I have to say, I'm disappointed that they fell for it," began one Hawk, addressing the other. He turned to the rest of the Joes, staring with confusion and anger on their faces.

"Let me introduce you to the reason we are meeting today," he growled, gesturing towards the other Hawk, who, at this cue, pulled off the mask, revealing a female with brown short hair. Several gasps were heard as the team stared at her.

"I'd like to introduce you to Lady Jaye, who will be assisting us with our covert operations and in training sessions," the real Hawk gruffed. "I'd also like to invite her to explain how she found our security, or lack of it, so easy to infiltrate."

Lady Jaye smiled at the assembled Joes, noting not many looked pleased to see her. She couldn't blame them. She had just made them look the fool – not a good thing to do in front of your commanding officer.

"Well," she began, hopping up and taking a seat on the credenza in front of the room, "I have some good news and some bad news."

She ticked the items off on her fingers. "First, I was able to get past your MPs at the gate with forged documents from the Pentagon, touting myself an executive assistant with an appointment to see General Hawk. While the forgeries _were_ good," she admitted, "there was never any follow up on why this individual never left your base after her appointment. I arrived yesterday," she confessed. There were some murmurs in the room as she revealed that.

"Oh, don't worry. I stayed busy," she assured them, smiling again. She had to resist swinging her legs as she spoke. No need to push the point too far with them that a single person had gotten the best of the elite team. She hopped down from the credenza and started walking the room.

"After I arrived, I was able to walk right in, no one questioning what I was doing there or where I was going. I was able to observe several of you and, I confess, got to impersonate several." She stopped behind the chair of a red-haired woman and said, in a perfect imitation of Shana "Scarlett" O'Hara's voice, "But don't ya'll worry. Ah won't reveal any secrets that ah learned while portraying some of ya'll."

There were a few chuckles at the voice, but Lady Jaye held up her hand. "You are a new team, but there were several clues that should have given you away that I was not Scarlett. One, I used my left hand, not my right, to do most things. Second, she could not answer some of your questions, which should have also given rise to suspicion."

Lady Jaye moved on, stopping behind another chair, grinning down at the man sitting there. "Good to see you again, Ace," she said, a perfect imitation of his voice as well. "While I do have the advantage of knowing this one in a previous life, he again couldn't answer some simple questions, which should have raised some alarm. What Ace doesn't know about planes….not much. Not that I can't fly circles around you," she said, again in Ace's voice, with a wink. He grinned back at her.

Lady Jaye made her way around to the front. "The rest of the time, I was able to impersonate what you term a "Greenshirt." Get to know their faces. They are the easiest ones to hide among."

"And then there is General Hawk." She smiled at the man next to her. "I have also had the advantage of knowing this man for a long time. I know his mannerisms as well as his speech."

She turned back to the rest of the Joes, many of whom were frowning at her. She knew she hadn't made friends with her charade, but then again, Hawk hadn't asked her to. "I realize many of you are offended by what you term as an invasion. Just know that there are skilled assassins out there that do the same thing. Be wary when your teammates don't seem to be acting what you think of as 'normal.' I don't mean to make you paranoid, but sometimes it's the difference between life and death."

"What makes you such an expert at what we're doing, or not doing?" came a male voice from her audience. She glanced at the speaker, a man in camouflage, wearing a beret.

"I'm good, but I'm not the best," Lady Jaye admitted. "It just takes some studying of files, some observation of mannerisms, and your doppelganger can have the upper hand. As for my qualifications, it's up to Hawk to determine if you have the clearance to know that," she finished smugly.

"What we've had today is a lesson that I decided needed to be taught," Hawk said to the group, his glare inviting any arguments. "I asked Lady Jaye to come here and see how far she got until someone stopped and questioned her. She obviously got pretty high. We have some gaps to fill in our security. You are the best of the best, but our base needs to be more secure. Cobra could very well bring the battle to us, and our intelligence," he nodded at Scarlett, "has indicated that Cobra has recruited covert agents of their own. I've invited Lady Jaye to join us so that not only could she assess our security, but so she could also give us some training on covert missions. I expect her to work closely with intelligence," he stated. "She will also be doing some field work for us as well. Flint," he said, indicating the Joe who had questioned her qualifications, "she will be working with your team as well."

At this, Scarlett frowned, which had Lady Jaye suppressing a sigh, knowing that she had already insulted the woman and that working together would definitely take some rebuilding. She wasn't sure what the soldier, Flint, was thinking. Great. So far she had alienated both of them. This was definitely going to cost her Uncle Clayton, she thought fiercely.

After a few more announcements, the meeting was dismissed. Lady Jaye was thankful when she saw two familiar faces, Ace and Ripcord, approach her.

"Hey, beautiful!" Ace greeted. "I have to admit, I was nervous when the mask came off, but seeing your green eyes…." he gave a wolf whistle.

"Knock it off!" Lady Jaye teased, punching him in the arm. "How are you doing, Wally?" she asked Ripcord.

"Pretty good, now that you're here. How the hell are you?" he asked, grabbing her in a big bear hug.

"Glad to see some friendly faces," she sighed when he finally released her. "I think most of your team hates me."

"Aw, now, I wouldn't say that," said Ace, slinging an arm around her as they left the room. "Anyway, if they do, you can hang out with Rip and me. It'll be like old times, back at the air base. So, where you bunking tonight?"

She chuckled, gently removing his arm. "Not quite," she said, referring to their brief fling they had during their last time together. "Afraid you're only allowed to break my heart once," she teased in a lighter tone.

"So, how did you get here? Besides Hawk finding you, that is," asked Ripcord, trying to keep things on an easy keel. "Are you officially here, or is this just until you get called back overseas?"

She shrugged. "I'm done with that for now. I was at loose ends and Hawk's offer came." She gave another noncommittal shrug. "Figured it sounded fun, and here I am."

"Don't worry, doll, we'll make sure everyone treats you right," grinned Ace. "Let's head to the Mess and introduce you around. Trust me, a friend of Ace is a friend to everyone!"

Rolling her eyes at Ripcord, who had a similar disgusted expression on his face, they followed him out of the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

"We're not much on formality or rank," Ripcord explained as they walked to the Mess. "Hawk obviously is in charge. Duke, the blonde, blue-eyed guy who was sitting up front, he's second in command and Flint, the beret guy who questioned you, is third. Ace is still the practical joker and the guy you don't want to play cards with. Some haven't learned that yet."

The last statement got a sound of protest from Ace. "I can't help it if they like to part with their money so easily!"

"Anyway," Ripcord continued, ignoring his friend, "everyone has their own specialty. Unfortunately, you got on the wrong side of Scarlett, and that's who you'll probably bunk with, her being the only female on the team. Once she cools down, she'll probably be okay, but she's got quite a temper. Almost a match for yours," he said, glancing at Lady Jaye to see her reaction.

She didn't comment. She knew she had a famous temper that several had the misfortune to be on the wrong end of. Why would she deny it? She just didn't need red hair to advertise it.

"We'll introduce you first to the guys who could care less that you came in and made them look like idiots," Ace stated cheerfully. "We'll work our way up to the ones who took it personally and have no sense of humor."

After meeting Road Block, Gung Ho, Breaker, Grunt, and Steeler, she felt a bit better. They seemed to enjoy meeting her and discussing their backgrounds and how they were recruited to become a Joe. She was glad they were so busy telling her their backstory, they didn't ask about hers. She'd prefer to keep that private and had told Hawk a condition to her help would be for him to make most of her file classified, the information blacked out and on a need-to-know basis.

She noticed she did receive several black looks from some of the Joes who were very obviously discussing her with their friends. She tried to let it slide off her back, but she knew it wasn't so easy, that she was taking it a bit personally. She knew her flippant attitude, as well as letting them know what they were doing wrong, had wrinkled some feathers.

Her new group of friends, though, wouldn't let her dwell on it as they joked and tried to one-up on stories about harrowing escapes and impossible missions.

"So, you're the covert expert," Gung Ho stated. "You get to play dress up and infiltrate the enemy. Kind of sounds like being an actor or something."

"That's not her only talent," Ace proclaimed, and all eyes turned to him. Lady Jaye threatened him with her eyes.

She was relieved when he then said, "She, Rip, and I trained together at RAF. She can literally fly circles around some of the best pilots I know! Acting is only one of her many, _many_ talents."

"Shut up, Ace," she warned good-naturedly. This was not exactly the crowd she wanted to hear that she and Ace had a past relationship.

"Yeah, and you should hear how many languages she can cuss in!" Rip jumped in. "Man, I have never been so impressed in my life! Remember when she had that commanding officer not knowing his ass from a hole in the ground when she started spouting at him in, what German? Russian?"

"Ukranian," Jaye said, laughing at the memory. "Yeah, it was good I wasn't part of the US military! Otherwise, I would've definitely ended up court martialed!"

"Wait a minute….you're not military?" asked Recondo, confused. "Then how…"

Lady Jaye sighed. So much for not giving too much background. "Until recently, I was part of MI-6." She shrugged. "Decided to take a break and here I am."

"Some break!" Breaker said. "You DO know what we do, right?"

"Don't worry about her. She's totally dedicated to the job. Workaholic, really," commented Ace. "Now, who's up for a game of cards?" he asked, producing a deck from his pocket.

There were groans and comments made by his teammates, to which he produced a look of innocence. "What?"

Lady Jaye shook her head. "Guess they've got you all figured out, Ace," she teased.

She noticed the men sat up straighter and figured one of the commanding officers had appeared behind her. She turned around to find the blonde one, Duke, clearing his throat, looking at her.

"Lady Jaye," he said, extending a hand, "I just wanted to welcome you to the team. Officially."

She took his hand, not surprised by the firm grip. He had military written all over him.

"Thanks, Duke," she replied, noting the small look of surprise at her knowledge of his code name.

"Well," he said, releasing her hand, "I thought maybe you'd like a tour of the base before we have to get back to work. I could show you where your office is located, as well as where your sleeping quarters are."

Lady Jaye smiled. He was trying, she admitted. She wondered if he ever loosened up.

"That would be great, thanks." She said her goodbyes to her new friends and followed Duke out of the mess hall.

"Um, about Scarlett," Duke said, as they ended the tour in front of what had been made the women's barracks.

Lady Jaye waited to hear what he was going to say, leaning back against the wall, her arms crossed.

"Well," he said again, feeling nervous, "you have to understand. She's the only female on the team, well, until now, and you impersonating her so well…."

"She can't stand me and wants to see me go down?" guessed Lady Jaye. She almost chuckled at Duke's look of surprise. My, he was an innocent, she thought. It was cool he was trying to protect his friend and the woman he obviously had a bit of a crush on.

"Well, yeah, I mean…" Duke stammered, looking at Lady Jaye, who smiled encouragingly at him.

"Sorry, one of my jobs is to read people pretty quickly. I figured I didn't make any friends with my report today. However, I _am_ damn good at what I do. I figure there's some damage control," she shrugged, "but she'll either get over it or ignore me the rest of the time I'm here."

She patted Duke's shoulder. "I appreciate you trying to explain your friend to me. I figure she wants to kick my ass about now and I'll probably give her a chance to try at training tomorrow. Hopefully, once it's out of her system, things will be okay. Women are like that," she grinned.

Duke looked relieved. "I'd just lay low and see what happens tomorrow. She has guard duty tonight, so you probably will have a quiet night of it."

Lady Jaye smiled at Duke. "Thanks again for the heads up. I think I'm going to make an early night of it anyway." She was tired. She had been a busy woman for the past two days and sleep seemed to suddenly be a top priority. Duke handed her a key to the suite and left.

She opened the door and peered in. The room was dark and when she flipped on the light, she found herself in a suite. It had a common room with some furniture, a kitchen at one end, with several doors leading into other rooms. Bedrooms, Allie assumed. Probably one a bathroom as well.

She opened one door and saw it was already occupied, so quickly shut it and went to the next door. A bathroom with a shower stall, toilet, and sink occupied that. Military design. Allie shut that door as well and moved to one of the last doors. Here was a room definitely unoccupied except for a bed (little more than a cot), a chest of drawers, and a small closet. Lady Jaye found her trunk placed in this room. Hawk must have had it moved here after the meeting today, she thought. He had asked her to pack what she needed for the next few weeks, and she had pretty much packed for any necessity. In her line of work, it didn't pay to pack light.

She decided to leave the packing for later, other than getting out a drab olive shirt and brown pants, hanging them up in the closet on one of the few wire hangers. She sighed. This was what she detested about the military. Everything was so spartan. Granted, she knew the budget should go towards supplies and weapons, but surely a few luxuries could be included. She grimaced as she touched the rough sheets. She pulled out a set from her trunk and remade the bed, folding up the military issue and placing it on a shelf in the closet. She may have to endure some hardships, but there were other things she didn't sacrifice, including her silk sheets. Hell, if you were going to put your life on the line, the least you could do was be able to sleep comfortably! She grimaced again at the cot and decided that if she was going to stay more than the month she had told Hawk was her "trial period," she'd be doing something about that as well!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

In case things didn't go well with Scarlett, Allie had her Plan B, namely another set of silk sheets, ready to go. The red head hadn't acknowledged her for several days and until this point, their paths had not crossed. Allie had been kept busy proving herself to the men that not only was she a good actress, she was also a capable soldier. She hid her discomfort and pain that the training sessions called, relaxing at night with the heating pad she had brought. She knew she was out of practice since she had left MI-6, even though she kept herself in shape with light workouts.

Her grit and determination, not to mention never complaining about any of the training she was put through, bought her some more admirers on the Joe team. Her sessions that she led, more of lectures, really, on covert operations, also earned her some friends as well. She tried to make it interesting and informative as she helped the Joes learn how to see through a spy's disguise, as well as how to beef up their security. Because of her easy infiltration, she also changed the way the MPs checked personnel in and out at the gate. Hawk seemed pleased with her progress and told her so after one of her sessions.

"I'm not sure if I'm making any friends, but at least your men will be more alert," she said simply. Hawk tried not to wince. He knew that how he had introduced Allie to his team had hurt some egos, but he had hoped they were over it by now and accepting of her. Allie could be one of the most easy-going individuals around. He also knew she had a biting temper as well, but so far, he hadn't seen any cause for that. However, he knew that she had yet to make friends with Scarlett and knowing the two needed to work closely together, he decided to push that forward.

The two women met in the gym the Joes used for training. A simple ring was constructed in the center, with exercise equipment lined up along the walls, including weights, treadmills, and stair climbers. Most of the men in the room seemed to be focused on lifting weights, but their attention shifted when they realized the two women would be sparring in the ring.

"You ready to go down?" Scarlett growled, stretching.

Allie decided to keep this light. While she was not going to let Scarlett win, she would neither humiliate her in front of her team. "Only if you are," she replied cheerfully.

"Let's do this," Scarlett said, frowning at the other woman's light tone. She wanted to show her what being a Joe was, and that it was more than just dress up. Granted, she had heard Lady Jaye had not complained once during training, and the men had grilled her hard. She knew it took a lot to prove yourself capable to the Joe team, especially being a female. A lot of the hardheads, she knew, didn't believe women should be in the military, let alone on a specialist team.

The two were equally matched. Scarlett showed some skill with martial arts, Lady Jaye noticed. She herself had a limited background in that area, but was able to compensate with what she knew in other areas.

Exhausted, the ladies called a break and one of the men tossed water bottles up their way. Allie noticed money changing hands and rolled her eyes. Scarlett caught her expression and grinned. She came over to where Allie leaned against the ropes and held out her hand.

"I have to admit, you gave as good as you got. It doesn't mean I like you. However, I do admire skill," Scarlett admitted.

Allie took her hand and shook it. "Truce," she said, smiling tiredly.

The men around the ring groaned. They wanted to see an end to the match, that one woman come out on top.

The women looked at one another conspiratorially.

"Show's over, boys," Scarlett announced, climbing out of the ring and holding her hand out to help Lady Jaye, who accepted it trustingly. She knew she had proven herself to the female agent and was relieved. While she could pretend to Duke that it didn't matter, she knew she'd rather be liked than deal with hostility each day.

Speak of the devil, she thought, as she saw the blonde hurrying towards them as he entered the gym. Obviously, word had spread that the two women were sparring.

"Everything okay?" he asked, frown lines wrinkling his brow.

Scarlett patted his back and handed him her empty water bottle.

"Sure! Why wouldn't it be? Coming, Lady Jaye?"

"Certainly, Scarlett," replied Allie, echoing the same tone, giving Duke the same enigmatic smile.

When the women entered the suite, Lady Jaye turned to Scarlett. "I know we're supposed to use code names and all, but when we're alone, it's Allie."

Scarlett smiled, nodding. "I feel the same. Nice to keep our own identity at times. I'm Shana, but I'm sure you already know that."

The women took turns showering, then settled on the chairs in the common area of the suite. Allie looked around and took stock.

"Pretty barren," she sighed. "And military ugly."

Shana nodded, echoing the sigh. "Yeah. I have to say, I don't spend too much time in here. Now that I have a roommate," she smiled, "maybe we could scrounge for some items to make it a bit more homey. There's a storage closet not too far from here that has some odds and ends."

Allie chewed her lip thoughtfully. "Hawk asked me to stay for a month, on a trial basis, but if I do decide to stay, I have some furniture in storage I could talk him into letting us have in here. Especially some decent beds," she said, groaning in exaggeration as she held her back.

"Oh, I am so with you on that!" Shana exclaimed. "Granted, normally I'm exhausted once I get to bed each night, there _are_ times, after certain days, that I'm so stiff in the morning thanks to that damn excuse for a bed."

Allie nodded sympathetically.

"Well," said Scarlett, getting up. "I guess we should get to work. Your office isn't too far from mine. We need to go over some specs Hawk gave me this morning for the latest mission. I think you and Flint are slated to go on it," she said over her shoulder as she gathered her things.

The man who had questioned her qualifications. Great.

"He's not really that bad," Scarlett said when she saw Allie's face. "Very by the rules guy, though. Can be a bit arrogant as well, which is why he took your revelation so hard. He prides himself on having everything around here run like clockwork. His MO is Warrant Officer, but he's the best military strategist we have."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

After going over the specs, the women decided to brief Hawk on what they had learned. Scarlett was grateful for Lady Jaye's talent, not to mention it was just nice to talk to another woman again, even if it was shop talk.

Hawk called a team together in his office to go over the mission details. Assembled were Lady Jaye, Flint, Scarlett, Ace, and Road Block. Apparently, it was time for Lady Jaye to get her feet wet, so to speak, as a Joe.

"Should be familiar territory," he told Lady Jaye. "We have intell that Cobra forces have been spotted in Corsica, possibly to recruit. This is simply a recon, nothing fancy. Don't engage unless you are forced to. Lady Jaye and Flint will pose as a couple attending the Corsican musical festival." He handed them a pair of tickets. Allie was surprised to see that it was for a well known opera. She glanced at Flint to see his reaction, but his face could've been made from stone, as much expression he was showing.

Road Block and Ace were to be backup, if needed, but would pose as two guys on vacation, hanging out and having a good time. Scarlett would be their contact back at base.

Ace immediately started flirting on the flight to where they would pick up the yacht to sail to Corsica. The four would travel in style, disguised as rich tourists, to the island. Allie packed accordingly and had directed the others on what type of clothes to pack. The Mediterranean a familiar vacation spot to her, she refrained from letting the guys know that speedos were often in style with the Italian men in the region. She mentally winced as a picture flashed in her head of her teammates in the constricting bathing suit. No, they would pose as American tourists, even though Allie was fluent in the language of the area. Better to keep the cover of the rest of the team. Also, it would help Allie overhear any conversations spoken in front of her since all Europeans had the attitude that Americans only spoke and understand English.

Bored with Ace's constant flirting, Allie moved from the cockpit to the back, where she took the empty seat next to Flint.

She wasn't sure what to say to him. So far, the man had hardly spoken two words to her. The others on the team, she had gotten to know during training. This man distanced himself and she thought about what Shana had said about him. From what Allie had learned about observing others in her line of work, there usually was a reason someone kept themselves distant from others. She wondered what had happened in his past to make him this way.

"So," she began, "do you like opera?" She knew it was a lame attempt at small talk, but if they were going to pose as a couple, they needed to be able to communicate in a natural manner.

"I've seen a few," was his brief reply, his attention going back to the book he was reading. She had known a lot of relaxation techniques before a mission (her personal one was mediation, so she could get into character), but reading for a military guy was a little unusual. Most, like Ace, she had observed, would talk, play cards, or do whatever needed to be done to relax themselves, to keep their mind off the danger ahead.

"Look," she said, putting her hand on his book, which she saw raised his ire. She didn't care, she needed to get her point across. "I don't mean to be rude, seeing how I hardly know you, but if we're going to pose as a couple, well, most couples _talk_," she stressed. "And not painfully so, but in a natural, flowing tone."

He sighed and closed the book. She was grateful for fast reflexes, or her hand would've been shut up inside it. He faced her, frowning.

"I get your point. We need to get a few things straight, though. The way you introduced yourself to the Joes? I didn't like it. I still don't. No one likes to feel humiliated, and you managed to do that to the entire team."

Allie's temper began to rise. "_Look_," she said, echoing his tone, her eyes narrowed, "obviously Hawk was concerned enough he called me in, even though you don't think I'm qualified to do the job. You seem to be the only one harboring these feelings and I'm sorry if you felt humiliated. That was not my intention nor Hawk's. I think you need to get off your high horse and give me a chance, or are you one of those assholes who think women should be kept at home while the big bad man goes out and chases the bad guy?"

_Ugh! She was supposed to pose as this guy's girlfriend? Seriously? She'd have to call on every acting cell in her body to display affection towards this arrogant jerk!_

Flint was surprised by her temper, seeming to come out of nowhere. He hadn't liked how she had been so easily accepted by the rest of the Joes after her little trick. He also didn't like the physical attraction or admiration he was starting to feel towards her, either. It didn't have its place in GI Joe and especially with someone as flippant as this woman! She seemed to flout rules and had guys like Ace distracted by her appearance, when his mind should be on the mission. He had seen her, up in the cockpit for most of the flight, flirting with him. No, women had no place on the team, he thought. Scarlett, now she was different. A consummate professional. No, you didn't see her flirting and joking around with the men. She was all business. Not like this one, who seemed to be everyone's friend and who everyone was talking about with glowing praise.

However, she _was_ right. For the mission, they would have to convince people they were a couple and had some positive feelings towards one another, he supposed. He sighed, and realized he would have to try harder on the yacht trip to the island.

Lady Jaye was fuming. She sat down next to Road Block, hoping his peaceful presence might help soothe her.

"What's up?" he questioned, noticing her frown. He looked over to Flint and saw he was wearing a matching expression and realization dawned.

"Don't let him get to you," he told her, patting her shoulder. "He always gets tense before a mission."

"Yeah, as tense as a small nun at a penguin shoot," Allie muttered, which made Road Block roar with laughter, drawing the others attention.

He lowered his voice, leaning close to her. "Between you and me, I think he's ticked off you were made leader and he wasn't. He's not used to that."

"Well, it's something he needs to get over," she frowned. "Obviously this is supposed to be a practice in something that I have the most experience in. It's only natural that Hawk asked me to lead it."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

They soon arrived at the Italian Air Force base where they had been granted permission to land and store their plane. From there, they changed into civilian clothes and rented a car, driving to the coast of Italy, where a yacht was waiting for the "vacationing Americans." None of the crew knew anything about their guests being military, only that they were sailing to Corsica for the music festival, staying the night, and returning the next day.

They were soon settled on the yacht, Allie encouraging the others to change into swimsuits, to enjoy the small pool on the yacht.

Seeing Lady Jaye in her bikini, as well as having to share a room with her, was not helping Flint's growing attraction to her.

While she got a few wolf whistles from the other guys, she decided to not remove her sarong since everything she was doing was clearly making Flint uncomfortable. He really had some issues to deal with, she thought. Instead, she sat on the edge of the pool, talking to the guys, dangling her feet in the water. She noticed Flint sitting on one of the deck chairs, reading. She tried not to sigh. She was going to have to change their story if he kept ignoring her. Getting up, she wandered over to where he was sitting in the shade.

"Look," she began, sitting next to him on one of the deck chairs, making sure the crew was out of earshot, "maybe we need to change our story a bit. Once we get to Corsica, we pretend to have an argument on the way to the Opera, then give each other the silent treatment. I think it would be much more believable than what we discussed before."

He simply looked at her, his expression unreadable. She tried not to sigh. "I don't know what it is about me that you don't like, and I'm sorry for that, but I've been told you're a consummate professional, that you get the job done."

He finally spoke. "Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot." Her eyebrows raised at that. He continued. "No, I don't like the way you presented yourself to the team, but I can understand why you did it. We needed to know where our weaknesses lie, and you helped us fix the holes. I realize you know more about this undercover stuff than the rest of us, which makes you a natural lead on this mission. If you think we should change it, then fine, we do."

She just couldn't figure him out, she thought, staring at him, at a loss for words. First, he was openly hostile towards her, then indifferent, then understanding? What the hell?

She closed her eyes, saying a small prayer for patience.

"How about you actually just try to enjoy the fact that we're sailing on the Mediterranean on this fabulous yacht. It's a beautiful day." She took his book out of his hand. "You're here with friends, or at least they're supposed to be your friends. You're about to hit a gorgeous island that time itself seems to have stopped and enjoy a wonderful opera performance….go splash around in the pool, beat Ace up…something other than hiding in the corner, okay?"

With that said, she got up and sashayed away, knowing he was watching her. He was a nice looking guy, but boy, he was a stiff at times! she thought. If he didn't learn to relax and loosen up, especially around her, this was simply not going to work, and she'd be damned if she was taking Ace to the opera. At least Flint hadn't complained about that and had actually looked interested. Ace would either complain the whole time, fall asleep, or be checking out and commenting on the women. That, she would just find annoying and it would affect her performance. No, out of all the guys out there, Flint seemed to be the one with the most class, she supposed, and would seem believable that he would be taking a date to the opera.

After working on her tan and joking around some more with the guys (and Flint was trying, she noticed, although he still couldn't relax around her), she excused herself and went to the room. She changed clothes and noted the time. Yes, she could definitely get some errands done once they docked.

Going back up, she ran into Flint, whose eyebrows raised at her outfit. "Going somewhere?" he asked.

"Shopping," she replied simply, giving him a small smile. "A few errands to do before tonight."

"Errands," he repeated, wondering if there was a hidden meaning behind them.

"Don't worry," she said, still smiling, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a squeeze. "I'll be all right by myself. Trust me."

"Just be careful," he cautioned, feeling the engines slow down as they pulled into port.

"I'll keep my line open," she said vaguely, knowing he would understand what she meant. She needed to take care of things without the three men following her around. "I won't be too long. Two hours, tops. After that, then worry."

He frowned. "I'm just not sure if separating right now is a good idea."

She patted his shoulder again. "I promise to be a good girl and stay out of trouble." She impulsively leaned up and kissed his cheek, then brushed past him up the stairs.

It was just so that things would look more natural, she thought, in case anyone was watching. Well, that, and it made for a good escape and ceased the questioning, she admitted to herself as she walked down the pier.

Lady Jaye was true to her word and was back within two hours. Ace had the guys involved in a card game on deck, with a few of the crew joining them. Apparently, language wasn't too much of a barrier when it came to cards, and she noted he had quite a pile of chips next to him.

She stood there, arms crossed, giving Ace a look he knew all too well. Sheepishly, he smiled at her and announced the game was over.

Going over to Flint, she curled her arm through his and leaned into him. "So," she said, addressing Ace and Road Block, "have you decided to join us for the opera tonight?"

Picking up on the cue, Ace groaned. "Seriously? You can drag him to it, but just because you two are together, doesn't mean you can drag us as well! No, Marvin and I decided to hit the bar scene. Maybe we can meet up after?"

Allie smiled, pleased with how easily it flowed from Ace. Then again, she reasoned, he was quite the player.

"Well, I'm glad John at least has some class around here," she teased, sticking at her tongue at Ace. She had figured it was easier for the guys to use their real first names with the exception of Flint. He would be "John Flint," which made it easier for the guys in case they slipped up and called him by his code name.

"Well, gentlemen, I have to go get myself presentable," she announced, pulling away from Flint. She had felt his body stiffen when she had leaned up against him, then he had slowly relaxed, much to her approval. He needed to be used to her touching him during the assignment. After, they could go back to being…well, whatever they were. Hands-off, she supposed.

"John, your tux is in the boy's room," she said over her shoulder as she walked away, hoping he'd take the hint.

It didn't take Flint long to get ready. He had to admit, he felt a bit like James Bond in the tux that had been provided for him. He even had done a pose in the mirror before he had to laugh at himself. Ace and Roadblock had also changed, but just into jeans and shirts, for their night out. While it looked like they were going to hang in the bar across the street, the team was all linked up, and the two would be on standby in case of any trouble.

Joking with the guys about his attire, he sensed a change in the atmosphere and knew Lady Jaye had made her appearance.

"Whoah," was Ace's response, for once, speechless.

"I think we know where the "lady" came from in her code name," murmured Roadblock, smiling appreciatively.

Dressed in a blue velvet strapless gown, white gloves, and what looked to be a fortune in diamonds, she seemed to float towards them, her green eyes twinkling.

She smiled, raising an eyebrow as she asked them, "Are you sure you don't want to reconsider joining us then?"

Flint held out a hand and she walked over to him, putting hers in his, doing a little spin.

"Do I look presentable?" she asked him, winking.

"Man, I think I'm blind from the glare of all the rocks!" Roadblock whistled.

She glanced around before speaking, leaning forward. "Costume, I assure you, and pretty high tech, in case we need it." She touched her earrings, part of her communication device with the rest of the team. The necklace was really a recording device, should they need it. Its links also hid several other items, should she choose to break it apart. She always believed in being prepared for the worse.

The men nodded, catching her meaning.

"Shall we go?" she asked them, tucking her hand in the crook of Flint's arm.

The team departed the yacht and to the waiting car which would take them to the Opera House and bar.

"You look amazing," whispered Flint, stunned at her transformation. He was surprised when she blushed.

"Thanks," she murmured, not sure why the words meant so much to her.

"Don't be surprised if people know me here," she murmured to him as they approached the Opera House. "I'm here as myself….Hawk and I thought it best…..since I'm not associated with your organization. I've been around these type of people before," she said, deliberately vague. He didn't need to know she was raised in this type of culture.

He simply nodded, figuring she was referring to her past as a MI-6 agent.

She was right. Several older individuals embraced her, speaking both Italian and English, as well as a younger couple. She introduced her escort, "John Flint," and made the usual small talk. The lights flickered and the guests started to make their way to their seats.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

They settled into their box and Allie handed Flint opera glasses that were sitting by their seats. Leaning close, she murmured, "I had the box wired where our Cobra agents will be," she said, nodding towards a box across from them. "We'll be able to hear any conversation through the glasses."

He had to admit, he was impressed. When she had said she was going shopping, he had actually thought she meant to get her dress. She had obviously done more than just shopping. Then again, this was her area of expertise, and she probably had contacts all over the world.

The box across from them stayed empty until the curtain rose. Once the lights were down, they noticed shadows slipping into the box. Allie nodded at Flint, and they both picked up their glasses, seeming to watch the performance, but really listening in.

There were several male voices, along with a female. At first, conversation was casual and could have been anyone sitting over there. For a moment, both Joes thought that it was, in fact, the wrong box until a statement had them sitting straighter in their seats.

Allie focused hard on one of the voices, thinking it sounded familiar. She turned a dial on her glasses and gestured for Flint to do the same. Glancing over at the box, she was able to see through the dark to make out the people in the box.

Two men, twins by the look of them, were talking to a masked individual and a dark-haired woman. They were discussing an alliance, a business deal between the men and Cobra. Allie wasn't sure who the men were and her contact hadn't known the identities of the ticket holders. A phrase made by the masked man had her gasp silently. Flint squeezed her hand, glancing at her questioningly. She motioned that she was okay, but she felt frozen. She did know that voice. Anger rose in her as she thought about what the man was doing to her family!

She got up, not able to stay in the box any longer, her anger making her restless.

"What are you doing?" Flint whispered.

"I'll be back," she told him, starting to move away, but he caught her hand.

"The team stays together. We don't split up," he told her, his voice firm.

"Well, unless you want to escort me into the ladies' room, I think you might be out of luck!" she told him, irritated.

He let go of her hand and she stalked out of the box and into the hallway.

As she rounded the corner, she ran into a solid body. Looking up, she saw the source of her irritation.

"Excuse me," the masked gentleman said, helping her up.

"You!" he said suddenly, ripping his hand out of hers, recognizing her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" demanded Allie, speaking in Gaelic, knowing that even if they were overheard in the empty hallway, there were few in this part of the world who would understand them.

"Alison, dear, I didn't know you were attending the music festival. I had heard you weren't working for MI-6 anymore," he stammered, taking her cue and using Gaelic as well. _Why __of__ all__ places__ did __he__ have__ to__ run __into__ his__ niece__ here? __Not __when__ this __merger __was__ so __important.__ He __couldn__'__t __let__ it__ affect __the __deal, __or __it __might__ be__ his__ life!_

"Don't you Alison dear me, Uncle James! So you're keeping tabs on me? Good to know, since I know _exactly_ why you're here and what you're doing! So this is the "country" you claimed had ordered all those weapons and vehicles, and you were waiting on payment. You filthy liar! Does anyone know the truth? I can assure you, if Ian or Collum knew…"

"This is not the best place to discuss family business," he interrupted her, his tone cold. "Why don't we make an appointment tomorrow to meet…."

"Destro! So here you are. I can't leave you alone for one minute! And who is _she_?" hissed the black-haired woman who had been in the box with him. She crossed her arms, glaring at Lady Jaye.

"Oh, I can assure you, I'm not interested in your boyfriend. You can have him!" Allie said coldly, her fists clenched. "He'll have to answer to a higher power." With that, she turned and stormed away, not caring if she had just compromised her position. She needed to get in touch with her cousins immediately! Hawk would just have to understand. What she had just learned was invaluable information to the Joe team, but her family business came first.

Allie felt herself being whirled around, and she stood face to face with the woman, who was seething.

"I don't need little sluts messing up our evening!" snapped the woman.

Allie's eyes narrowed, ready to engage. If it hadn't been for her uncle stepping between the women, she would have grabbed her knife strapped to her inner thigh and used it on the woman!

"Ladies, please! I am sure we can discuss this in a more proper fashion," Destro said in a soothing tone. "My dear Baroness," he said, turning to address the black-haired woman, "you have it all wrong. This is my niece. I had no idea she would be here," he said, his voice almost pleading.

"Your niece!" she scoffed, her German accent strong. "You expect me to believe that?"

"Believe it," growled Allie.

"Is everything all right?" asked a new voice, and Allie saw the men who had been in the box with "Destro" and the woman. She filed away the name "Baroness" for later.

"And who is…" began the first man.

"…this lovely creature?" finished the second.

Both men bowed to her. Sharing a glance, they wondered at the situation since the lady's face was flushed and she obviously looked angry. Did the Baroness catch Destro red-handed?

"May we introduce ourselves…." began the first one again, which was beginning to give Allie a headache, feeling like she watching a tennis match when the two men spoke.

"I am Xamot…"

"…and I am Tomax…."

"…at your service!" they both proclaimed together.

Destro hissed at the two men he deemed fools. While Cobra needed their financial support, what were they doing giving away their names, even if they were coded? He was surrounded by idiots, he inwardly groaned.

"It's nice to meet you gentlemen, but I'm afraid I must be leaving. My escort will be wondering where I went to," Allie managed to say in a polite tone, figuring with her luck tonight, Flint would come stumbling on the situation. _Yeah,__ he__'__ll __really __trust__ you __after __this!_ she thought with a silent groan. How had things gotten so out of hand?

"Uncle," she said, glaring at the man, as she bade him goodbye. "This is not over," she said in a low tone as she passed him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Flint was coming out of the box when she returned.

"What happened?" he asked, noting her angry look, her green eyes flashing. "You didn't engage on purpose, did you? They've left the box…"

Allie grabbed his arm and started to steer him down the stairs and out the door. She had forgotten about the communicator. He had heard everything, she was sure. It was a wonder he hadn't been in the middle of it with her.

"What?" he asked her. He had let her lead him out the door, but he stood firm.

"I know who they are, and no, I had no intention of engaging!" she snapped. "This whole thing has turned into a circus!"

The other two Joes were waiting silently outside for them. They hailed a cab back to the docks and rode in silence. The normal, easy-going Lady Jaye that they had known was nowhere to be seen that night and no one wanted to spark the powder keg she seemed to have turned into.

When they were aboard the yacht and had checked to make sure the crew wasn't on board (they had been given the night off since they were docked for the evening), Lady Jaye let loose with a string of curses in multiple languages. The Joes glanced at one another and just let her go, not wanting to be the one to stop her.

She finally turned to them, her chest heaving, her eyes flashing, but seeming calmer. Flint thought he had never seen a woman look sexier than at that moment. He quickly pushed that irrational thought out of his head as unprofessional. If he kept this up, he berated himself, he'd turn into another Ace, and the Joe team certainly didn't need another playboy!

"You done?" Ace asked, the first one brave enough to speak.

"For now," she snapped. "God, what a night!" Her legs felt like rubber and she half sat, half collapsed into one of the deck chairs, burying her head in her hands. She knew she was being totally unprofessional and would probably not be asked on another mission for the Joe team. Vaguely, she realized she had decided to stay on, but of course, after tonight, that was out of the question.

"Your Cobra agents….how much do you know about them?" she asked, her voice soft and deceptively calm.

The men glanced at each other, then pulled the deck chairs over to hers, forming a circle.

Flint was the first to speak. "The masked one we know as Destro, but nothing more than that. He seems to be the scientist and weapons supplier. We think he's associated with a manufacturer called MARS, but we're not certain. The woman we know as "Baroness," and is from a wealthy Eastern European family. We were supposed to learn the identities of the other two tonight, and I guess we now know them as Tomax and Xamot."

"Twins," Allie murmured. "And notice their name is the same, spelled backwards. Cute," she said scathingly.

She looked up at the men. "I can give you the identity of Destro," she said. "Not now, though."

She suddenly got up. "I need to make a phone call," she told them, and walked across the deck. The men gave each other puzzled looks. Who would she be calling? They were even more confused when they heard her speaking another language on the cell phone. She seemed upset, but they weren't sure why, only knowing it had to do with the Cobra agent called Destro.

She snapped the phone closed and returned to the men. She gave them a weary smile and told them she was packing it in for the night.

"What the hell just happened?" Flint asked Ace and Roadblock, watching her disappear down the stairs, who looked just as confused as he felt.

Ace shrugged.

Flint gave him a look. "You're the one who knows her best!" he said, as if demanding an explanation.

Ace held up his hands. "Look, I just knew her from a long time ago, when she came to recertify at the air base I was at! We had some fun, but that was it. I don't even know much about her, other than she does have a temper when crossed. The hellcat we saw tonight was new to me as well!"

Roadblock had been sitting there, silent, looking thoughtful. Flint turned to him.

"What are you thinking, big guy?"

Roadblock was silent for a moment, putting his thoughts together. "The dude, Destro, really seems to bother her. She didn't care for the Baroness insinuating they were lovers. Also, she knew him well enough so that she knew what language to talk to him in, which definitely wasn't English. I'd like to say it doesn't look suspicious, but…" he shrugged, not sure what else to say. "I like her. I'd like to trust her and say she's one of us, but I can't say it looks good right now."

Flint nodded, realizing his thoughts were in the same direction. He really wanted to trust her, damn it. She obviously lost control tonight, which he realized was part of the reason she was so angry. The other men validated his thoughts, saying pretty much the same thing.

"Hawk trusts her," Roadblock reminded them. "I can't see him inviting someone in just so she can play double agent."

"I realize it doesn't look good," a soft female voice said from behind them.

She had to give them credit – they didn't seem too startled. She had changed into jeans and a t-shirt and was feeling a little more herself.

"I can't make you trust me," she continued as they stared at her, obviously wondering how much she had overheard. "You need to make that decision yourself."

She looked up and stared at the moon for a moment, as if channeling energy from it. She glanced back at the men. "This mission was really screwed up tonight and I apologize. I acted unprofessionally and let it get personal. I wouldn't blame you if you went to Hawk and asked not to work with me again," she said, giving them a wry smile. "Just know it doesn't usually go like that, but then again…." her voice trailed off. She straightened up. "Well, a good agent is ready for anything, right? Even unexpected surprises," she said, her voice taking on a bitter tone. "We all got out of there safely without blowing your cover, I doubt Destro connects me with GI Joe, and we now know more information about its agents than before. In a way, we met our goal."

She waited, and when the men remained silent, she sighed. "I'm turning in for real now. Feel free to tear me apart without me overhearing this time," she said, giving them a little smile before turning and descending the steps once again.

"Damn," murmured Ace, echoing the thoughts of his teammates. "What is she, an f'ing mind reader?"

Flint sat silently, leaning back in his chair, his brain going full speed. She was definitely an enigma, he thought. Maybe with a few missing pieces and no picture to go on….but puzzling none the less.

"Well, it's late and I'm going to turn in," sighed Roadblock, looking at Ace, who took the hint and echoed the same thoughts.

Flint was left on deck by himself. He looked up at the sky, thinking. His thoughts kept straying to the woman below deck. _What__ exactly__ was __she?_ he wondered. _Friend__ or__ foe?__ Stable __or__ absolutely __nuts? __She__ seemed __an __expert __in__ her__ field,__ as__ Hawk __had__ praised,__ but__ did__ she __react__ each __time__ like __this__ when__ something __backfired?__ She__ would__ have__ them __believing __no,__ but__ he __wasn__'__t__ sure.__ How __much__ did__ she __let __her__ emotions __lead __her?__ That__ was __the__ problem __with __recruiting__ women_, he thought, shaking his head. _They __did __let __their __emotions__ get __the__ better __of __them. __He __doubted __a __male __counterpart__ would__ have__ been__ upset __running __into __a__ …__.what__ was __the__ man __to __her?__ Former__ lover?__ Uncle,__ like__ he __claimed__ to__ the__ Baroness?_

He stayed there, thinking, for quite a while before he decided to turn in himself. As he went below, he remembered that part of his cover was sharing a room with Lady Jaye. He gave a quiet sigh. They had not discussed sleeping arrangements. He guessed he would have to take the couch in the room and winced, knowing he would be feeling it in the morning.

He was surprised when he entered the room to find that not only had she left the light on in the adjoining bathroom, the door letting in a sliver of light for him to see by, but that she was curled up in a blanket, sleeping on the couch.

Grateful, he stripped down to his boxers and climbed into the bed, enjoying the fact that he actually had room to stretch out. Closing his eyes, he fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

The voices of the returning crew woke her. She never slept soundly when she was out in the field. Hearing soft, even breathing, she knew Flint was sleeping in the bed and hadn't woken up. Silently, she padded to the bathroom and dressed. She wasn't going to get back to sleep at this point.

She emerged on the deck, using the space to stretch, watching the men move around the boat, getting ready to cast off. She nodded at a few of them and one, hesitantly, mentioned coffee, in broken English, then broke into a grin when she responded to him in Italian. He led her to the galley and she enjoyed an early breakfast with the rest of the crew. She decided to play the disgruntled girlfriend, who had been hoping to spend some time alone on a romantic cruise with her boyfriend, who had then in turn invited his friends to come along. It helped to cover the fact that she was up and about so early, and, she thought, maybe to cover her appearance since her lack of sleep and emotional outburst from the night before didn't have her looking her best.

She chatted with the crew, who were impressed with her Italian, commenting that few Americans learned their language and always seemed to expect them to know English. She responded, quite flirtatiously, that anyone who had seriously shopped in Milan, or any other Italian store, really, should know and revere the language and culture. This caused quite a few chuckles from the men. She knew they wouldn't be a problem and were eating out of her hand. It always helped to befriend the ones her former colleagues called "the little guys." In Allie's experience, these "little guys" sometimes meant the fine line between capture and escape.

They soon had to excuse themselves to perform their various jobs, leaving her to lean against the railing, watching the water and enjoying the sunrise. She sighed, reflecting on the revelations of the previous evening. She was pretty sure her chance of joining GI Joe was between nil and none, but there were other avenues she could pursue, she thought vaguely. What was foremost in her mind was her upcoming meeting with her cousin and the coup her family was about to undertake.

What she hadn't told the Joes was that Destro was not only family, he was the current head of her clan, and in control of her family's business, MARS Industries. To oust the leader of the clan, not to mention removing him from the business, was a major deal and had only been done once, successfully, in the hundreds of years of her family's history. She sighed, knowing even if she received her invite to the Joe team, she'd have to wait until this matter was settled. She'd know more once they got to the Italian air base, where her cousin was to meet her. _Yeah,__that __will__ help__ the__ Joes __trust__ me __even __more,_ she thought bitterly, imagining Flint's reaction to that. He was the one Joe she couldn't quite figure out. He seemed suspicious of her, but then would seem to change on a dime and offer support. She guessed he was a "by the book" soldier and rarely went against orders. In her line of work, rules were bent all the time, and she couldn't fathom how the two of them would work together successfully in the future.

Flint leaned against the stairway, watching the myriad of emotions crossing her face. He had awoken when the ship had started to leave port and immediately had noticed her absence. He had quickly dressed and thought about waking the others to discuss the plans for their departure back to base this afternoon. Instead, he had found himself looking for her.

He needed to stop obsessing over her, he reprimanded himself. He didn't know what it was about the woman that had him trying to figure her out. He saw her body stiffen and realized she had realized she wasn't alone.

Walking over to her, he joined her at the railing, looking up at the sky. "Nice," he commented, enjoying the view.

She made a noise he thought was an agreement, but other than that, stayed silent. He found it strange that he was just enjoying her presence, not needing to cloud the moment with words.

Funny thing, she thought. The silence wasn't uncomfortable between the two and she didn't feel the need to fill the moment with words. His presence was strangely comforting, especially with the mess she was currently embroiled in.

"What are your plans?" he asked her, breaking up her train of thought. _Did __he __know?_ she wondered. _**How **__did__ he __know?_

"What do you mean?" she asked cautiously.

He shrugged. "For the rest of the trip. We have, what, a couple more hours of our vacation, and then it's back to work, right?"

She almost breathed out a sigh of relief. He didn't know, didn't suspect. She was pretty sure he wouldn't be too happy with her plans, but she had called Hawk already and explained what she could about her situation, and he had told her to do what she had to.

She returned his shrug. "Not sure. Shame to waste this time, you know? You don't get luxuries like this too often," she said, offering an olive branch, inwardly flinching at her lie. He didn't need to know that this - the yacht, trip, the foreign places - was all too familiar to her.

Again, he surprised her by his thoughts. "I always figured being in MI-6 was kind of like James Bond, where you traveled the world, lived in a tux, drove fancy cars and got all the women…or in your case, all the men," he chuckled. "Figured this would be old hat to you."

She couldn't help but smile at him. "James Bond, huh? Yeah, MI-6 was many things…not sure if they lived up to the Bond reputation but then again…" she left the rest unsaid.

"Why did you leave? I mean, if you don't mind me asking."

She sighed, knowing this would come up at some point, especially after Hawk had announced that it was part of her resume.

"You know how they say some lives are like open books? Well, let's just say there are some pages we're better off not reading." She closed her eyes for a moment, collecting her thoughts, shaking her head slowly. She opened them, staring into his, and he was surprised by the hurt in her eyes. "There were things they would do, you know, to make sure it went the way they wanted it to. They weren't beyond doing anything, and I do mean _anything_, to achieve their goal. I drew the line at using children as bait," she finished softly, looking back out to sea.

"I probably shouldn't have told you that," she confessed, her voice hoarse with emotion. "Officially, if you ask them, I was burned out and they were glad to be rid of me, or some cock and bull story like that."

"Listen…" he began, but they were interrupted by the sound of voices coming up the stairs. Allie gave Flint a smile, and he realized the mask was back in place. He realized she had opened up to him and been herself, or at least one of her true selves, with him. He wanted to do something…pat her shoulder, give her a pep talk, anything….to let her know it was okay to have morals and standards, to walk away from something when you knew it was wrong - but the moment was gone.

The team spent the rest of the day relaxing by the pool or, in Road Block's case, trying some sea fishing. The guys were surprised by the sincerity of the crew's farewells to Lady Jaye, but then again, she was an attractive female, so they assumed that it was just an Italian thing. She spoke briefly to them in Italian and thanked them for the journey.

A car was waiting for the team to take them back to the air base. Allie had been trying to figure out a way to tell the guys she wasn't heading back with them and still hadn't said anything when they arrived at the base.

She realized her time was up when Ace commented on the jet landing on the runway when they arrived.

Giving a low whistle, he started speculating on engine size and specs.

"It's a prototype," stated Lady Jaye, her hand blocking the glare of the sun. The others looked to her in surprise.

"It looks a bit like the Rattlers that Cobra uses," Flint said, eyes squinting as he studied it.

"Yes, it does," Lady Jaye replied sharply. "Excuse me."

She walked over to where the pilot was jumping out of the cockpit. The rest of the team was shocked when the pilot and their female agent embraced and then began a conversation in low tones.

Lady Jaye walked the pilot over to them. "I've already talked to Hawk, and you need to continue on without me," she said, aware that her words weren't sounding like she meant them to. She paused and took a breath. The pilot rubbed her back in an all too familiar way, Flint noticed through narrowed eyes.

"This is highly unusual," Flint stated, wanting to ask who the hell the pilot was and why she knew him so well.

Lady Jaye looked embarrassed. "I have some family matters to take care of. Hawk's granted me permission to take care of it before returning to base. This is Ian, my cousin," she said, finally introducing the pilot.

The three Joes exchanged glances. "So, we're leaving you here?" Road Block was the first to speak.

"Ian's giving me a ride home. I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't an emergency," she said in way of apology. "I know it's not standard procedure, but you can call Hawk himself…" she added defensively.

Ace looked thoughtful. "Well, that's all well and good but….I have some questions about this bird," he said, turning to the pilot.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

"How well do you know this woman?" asked Flint, sitting in Hawk's office after the debriefing.

Hawk was cautious. "I realize things went a bit unorthodox and I wish I could tell you why but…."

"I don't have the clearance," Flint finished in a bitter tone. "What IS she exactly?"

Hawk looked uncomfortable. "I know things don't look right to you now, and I would share your concerns if I didn't know her better. I've known Allie since was a little girl and I've followed her career with interest. Her father was a good friend of mine."

The commander got up and paced, looking out the one window in his office. With his back turned, he asked Flint, "So, you wouldn't trust yourself in her hands? If she joined the Joe team, that is."

Flint tried not to squirm. Would he trust himself in her hands, out in the field, for a real mission, not just recon? He thought carefully, thinking of all the flubs in just a simple recon. Surprised at himself, he answered honestly. "Yes. Yes, believe it or not, I think I would."

Hawk turned and smiled. "Flint, you're one of the officers I trust the most to give me an honest opinion. I realize you feel that women should have limited experience on a team such as this, so if you're telling me you'd be willing to work with her again, then that cements it."

Flint nodded, not sure what he had just agreed to. "I will admit, I was impressed with how well she tended to blend in with the environment and what she was called on to do, as well as how quick she thought on her feet….and if you feel we have the need for that on the Joe team, then she would probably be good for the job. I worry about her emotions leading her instead of logical conclusions, but then again," he shrugged, "it might just work for her. She seems intelligent and knowledgeable of several languages and cultures."

Hawk's smile widened. "Then you did meet the Lady Jaye I intended you to. Yes," he said, stroking his chin, "I think she'll work out just fine. When she gets her family situation sorted out, I'll let her know."


End file.
